Learning from Leeton: how a rural town has rolled out the welcome mat and helped refugees find their feet
The NSW country town of Leeton is about as far removed as possible from Afghanistan – geographically, culturally, politically and religiously – but it has set the gold standard for how Australia can successfully integrate refugees into local communities.
Festival of light coming to Kerang
The stories of Kerang’s fauna, flora and people will be celebrated during four nights of activities this July. Using digital projection technology, many of Kerang’s landmarks will be lit up by works created by residents during the Kerang’s Living World light festival, occurring on 4-5 July and 15-16 July.
Go for gold and make tracks at special Sunshine Coast Olympics event
From children to seniors, beginners to pros, everyone is invited to join the fun and #HaveaGo at a free council community event in Caloundra on July 23 – a celebration to acknowledge exactly 10 years to go until the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games open. Get on your bikes at Sugar Bag Road Mountain Bike Trails from 10am-3pm for an action packed day of demos, trails, #HaveAGo sessions and rubbing shoulders with world class champions.
$250m plan puts a spotlight on Naracoorte
Chris Oldfield. A proposed $250 million development over 25 years at Naracoorte’s North Parklands was unveiled last week to a large crowd thirsty for information. Putting a spotlight on Naracoorte, the proposal is hailed as the biggest development plan for regional SA.
Goldfields Gothic this weekend
This weekend, as part of the Goldfields Gothic Festival of Dark Ideas, the streets will be alive with the sights and sounds of the Goth community ... It’s time to dress up (don’t forget your thermals!), go Goth and enjoy yourselves! There are plenty of events on offer ... At the Victorian Fan Language Workshop, you can learn over 20 delicate and precise gestures fit for high society!
Art Festival on Ford a resounding success
The inaugural Art Festival on Ford held over three days from June 24-26 in Ganmain was a resounding success. Several local artists and community groups such as the Art Society and Craft Cottage exhibited their creative works in the Ganmain Hall ... Lush Creative Galleries threw open their doors with artists Linda Nolan and Jody Graham welcoming visitors to view their paintings.
First ever art festival on Ford for Ganmain
Ford Street in Ganmain will be transformed into a collection of art galleries over three days between June 24 to 26. The inaugural Ganmain Art Festival on Ford event has been organised by Myfanwy Collette and her stepdaughter Rosemary Ashton.
Male youths lose their support crew
Funding has ended for two male youth worker positions in Evans Head. The positions were funded by the Federal Government’s Safer Communities program ... “Unfortunately, we have had to say goodbye to Josh, Toby and the Mobile Youth Van service, this decision was not ours, the program was sadly no longer funded.”
Governor gets involved in Cooktown’s big event
Queen Elizabeth’s representative for Queensland has given Cooktown and its annual Discovery Festival the royal thumbs up after visiting the Cape over the weekend. Her Excellency, the Honourable Jeannette Young and her husband Graeme Nimmo were eager participants ... Highlights of the weekend were the markets, with hundreds flowing through the stalls over the weekend, the street parade, inaugural 4x4 muster, the sunset soiree and fireworks, all capped off by the reenactment on Sunday morning.
Mural pays homage to Margaret Feilman
The City partnered with the Kwinana Social Club and the Medina Residents Group to celebrate the life of one of Kwinana’s historic figures, Margaret Feilman, with a unique artwork designed specifically for the area and installed on the external wall at the Club on Pace Road, Medina. At sixteen, Margaret became the state’s first female architectural cadet.
Time to have your say – pool closure
Kristin Nicholson. Community discussion has centred on the concern for the safety of the town’s youth who will seek out local alternative swimming locations such as creeks and channels, lack of leisure opportunities (including the water slide), lack of, or reduction of, swimming lessons and other organised aquatic-based lessons, and the cost of travelling to other towns or shires to access aquatic facilities.
Festival of Small Halls
Clarence Valley Council's Resilient Clarence project proudly sponsored the Festival of Small Halls at the Wooloweyah Hall on the 26 May and the Dundurrabin Community Centre on the 27 May as part of the Woodfordia Inc Resilience Tour 2022. Using storytelling and music to connect people, the Resilience Tour is travelling to small halls in bushfire impacted communities.
Maldonites are Maldon’s biggest asset
Mark Blythe. This Sunday will see another Maldon Swap Meet held at the Maldon Racecourse Reserve; the resurgence of events post COVID speaks volumes for the resilience and dedication of Maldon’s army of organisers and volunteers. A lot of rural and regional towns are very busy trying to pick up the pieces of their event industries after the wilderness years of COVID, but Maldon has managed to keep all of their events ticking over during the last two years, in one form or another, even if they were just on life support.
Forget Me Nots always remember to have fun
Four years ago, a local group was established to offer support, social interaction, and plenty of fun, laughter and friendship, to Clarence Valley residents living with dementia ... it expanded to include locals affected by memory impairment, and senior citizens with limited opportunities to socialise. Together, they sing, they dance, and they enjoy being in each other’s company.
Blast from the past: The Chinese concert
On Monday, 22 April 1901, Maldon’s Chinese community gave a concert at the Temperance Hall (now the Community Centre) to help raise funds for the Maldon Hospital ... A highlight of the evening was the Chinese dragon, worked by Tow Yin, Ah Chong and George Ah Mi. The dragon performed an elaborate dance before miming the actions of eating a meal and bathing and then settling down and going to sleep. The performance was greeted with loud applause.
‘Zero to fabulous in a couple of months’
Serena Kirby. Every second Saturday a big group of locals gather at the Denmark Scout Hall to swap excess fruit and vegetables, seedlings and flowers they have grown ... “I got the idea from my daughter who had started one in Manjimup”: produce swap organiser, Bobbie Batten.
Locals patrol their own community to deter looters as town rebuilds after floods
When Woodburn resident Melanie Connell heard that looters were taking what little people had left, she decided to do something about it ... Melanie wanted residents to know that if they see torches shining into empty backyards, it is the community group looking out for them.
Happy crowds, town-wide earnings and welcome tips
Maldon’s annual Town-Wide Garage Sale made for a busy Saturday in and across town. With just shy of 70 households opening their gates and putting their unwanted treasures out for sale, the cash was flowing, and visitors and locals alike enjoyed wandering amongst the diverse collection of stuff on show.
New mining exploration licence
A number of local residents have expressed their concern regarding an application for a new mining exploration licence. One resident told the Times, “I am concerned about the size of the exploration licence that has been applied for, especially in relation to the historic and scientific significant mining landscape that may be damaged.
Tantanoola gymnasium relocation plan
Sheryl Lowe. The small regional community of Tantanoola in the South East of South Australia has big plans to move their almost one-million-dollar school gymnasium a few hundred metres across a couple of country roads to the town’s sporting complex. We have the skills in our community to do this, Tantanoola local Mr. Peter Altschwager told The News, we just need permission ... Local students were educated at the once vibrant school for 139 years but with recent declining numbers, the Education Minister John Gardner decided to close the school in 2020.
Library open to all
Gabrielle Duykers. Members of the public can now step foot inside the Naracoorte library following the opening of its doors last week. The $2.38 million library, located at 93 Smith Street, has seen the former Naracoorte Herald building transform into a much-needed central community space.
New LHI brewery opening
Timmy Maxwell. We are open! What a journey it’s been up until the point we poured our first beer four weeks ago! As with many great things on this island, it all started with a simple idea. We wanted to brew fresh beer and a create a great place to enjoy it in.
